Surprisingly, about 20% of all ear infections afflict adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood ailment, something that impacts mainly young kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more common in kids, but they also occur frequently in adults.
For adults with hearing impairments or hearing loss, ear infections can be especially inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some unpleasant ways. Also, when hearing aids aren’t correctly maintained, they can become a vector for ear infection-causing diseases.
So is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with an ear infection? Overall, the answer is yes, but you may not want to. Ear infections can cause considerable inflammation and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids may worsen those symptoms. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help avoid and manage ear infection symptoms.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
If you’re an adult with hearing impairment and you start to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause my ear infection? The technical answer is no. But in order to get the full picture we have to look at it in greater detail.
The vast majority of all ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are a wide range of vectors that can result in infection. Sometimes, a previous illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will result in an infection of the inner ear. An infection may be caused by fluid accumulation in other instances. And it’s also definitely possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear through simple transmission.
This can happen with some frequency to individuals who wear hearing aids. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is crucial for individuals with hearing impairments to correctly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is really the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your hearing aid is involved in this transmission.
Contact between hearing aids and ear infections
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To understand what to expect, it’s helpful to look at the most common symptoms of an ear infection. In general, ear infections will have the following symptoms:
- Pain in the ear
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Temporary loss of hearing in some cases
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
- Inflammation and swelling
Needless to say, everybody will experience the symptoms in their own way. Usually, you will have noticeable inflammation of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. These symptoms can have an adverse interaction with hearing aids for those with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Because the ear canal is irritated and tender, your hearing aids may cause extra discomfort.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can stop drainage. Your infection and discomfort may last longer if fluid is stuck in your ear. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased as a result of this. This pressure can be even more pronounced when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
This added moisture can also impede the function of your hearing aid. So your hearing aids aren’t functioning at peak performance and your ears are in pain. This means that you will have a horrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Solutions to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are bothering you while you have an ear infection? There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection may cause. Those steps include the following:
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means regularly cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears dry and clean. However, you should never stick any object in your ear and that includes cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your risk of developing an ear infection increases because you could push earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. You’re trying to accomplish the exact opposite.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should speak with your doctor sooner than later if you think you might be developing an ear infection. The sooner you treat the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Making sure your devices are clean can help to ensure they aren’t transferring bacteria and viruses to your ears (or, at least, that it occurs less frequently.) If you don’t know how to clean and disinfect hearing aids, talk to us for a quick tutorial.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or severe, it’s all right to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears are feeling better. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Think about coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection clears but your hearing aid is still uncomfortable.
You probably depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you get around your world more easily and have better communication with your friends and family. Which means that these little devices can often be difficult to give up, even for a short time. However, you will have a quicker recovery from your ear infection if you take a break from wearing them until you heal up. That means you can get back to enjoying what you hear faster.
Ear infections are relatively common. But you should still seek treatment if you detect symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections might affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.
